Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice
by Dragon Mistress
Summary: An AU look at life at Hogwarts during the Marauders’ seventh year. Glitter and glam rock abounds, and our dear Marauders learn to cope with makeup, cross-dressing, and sex - a different kind of education than Hogwarts usually offers!
1. The Makeup Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

**WARNINGS**: First, my typical, everyday warning - Sirius/Remus SLASH. Next: Expect AU, glittery goodness, bisexuality, underage drinking, sexual implications/situations, satin, and leather.

**Summary:** Kind of an AU look at life at Hogwarts during the Marauders' seventh year. Glitter and glam rock abounds, and our dear Marauders learn to cope with makeup, cross-dressing, and sex - a different kind of education than Hogwarts usually offers!

* * *

Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice

**Chapter 1 - The Makeup Chapter**

"Oi, Remmie!"

Remus Lupin looked up from his book and twitched. Two of his best friends, one of whom also happened to be his boyfriend, had just entered the train compartment he had chosen to sit in. Sirius Black and James Potter were both dressed more outrageously than ever (at least, since the advent of glam rock - granted, glam had been around since before they started at Hogwarts, but Sirius and James had only just gotten into it back in fourth year) in tight bellbottom jeans and t-shirts so small they must have been purchased in the girls' section of the shops; but that wasn't why Remus was twitching. He was twitching because both boys were wearing makeup.

Not that Remus wasn't _used_ to makeup. Sirius had always been fond of black nail polish and eyeliner, and to be totally honest, Remus thought boys in makeup was one of the most erotic sights imaginable. But maybe, just maybe, Sirius and James had gone a bit over the top. Sirius was wearing dark red lipstick, matching glittery nail polish, and had black raccoon-rings of makeup around his eyes. James was less extravagant - he had chosen to stick with pale pink lip gloss and a light application of brown eyeshadow - but it was still enough out-of-character that Remus had to blink and rub his eyes in disbelief.

"Siri? Jim?"

"Were you perhaps expecting Snivellus?" James asked casually, as he and Sirius closed the compartment door behind them and joined Remus; Sirius plopped down beside his boyfriend and kissed his cheek, and James sat across from them, grinning.

"No, it's just - that - you two..." Remus couldn't think of a tactful way to say that they looked like Barton Street prostitutes.

"I told you he was going to say something," Sirius pointed out to James. "Come on, Remmie... what's wrong with it?"

"Well -" Remus bit his lip. "You both look delicious, don't get me wrong - but... don't you think it's a little... much? What will the teachers say?"

Before either of them could answer, the door slid open again and Lily Evans stuck her head in. She was already wearing her Hogwarts uniform and robes, but looked gorgeous in neon-pink lipstick and silvery eyeshadow, her skin sparkling with glitter. All three boys raised their eyebrows at her; she tucked a stray lock of fiery red hair behind her ear. "There you are, James," she said.

James' eyes widened and sparkled almost as brightly as Lily's glitter. "You're looking for _me_, Evans?" Remus and Sirius watched in amusement as James sighed happily and clutched at his heart. "Oh - happy day!"

"I just wanted to see you and Sirius tarted up," Lily replied, her eyes shining. "You're both so - so - cute!"

James nearly melted. Sirius and Remus nearly died of shock. For six years, James Potter had been the bane of Lily Evans' existence, no matter how hard he had tried to impress her - usually making a prat of himself in the process, if not getting outright rejected - but she was _looking_ for him? To see him tarted up? And she had called him... cute? It boggled the mind.

They just stared at her, openmouthed, like fish in an aquarium. After awhile, when it became evident no one was able to reply, Lily waggled her fingers at them (the nails were painted the same shocking pink as her lips) and departed. "Ta, lads."

Remus, Sirius, and James poked their heads around the edge of the door to watch as Lily headed for her compartment. Two of her friends, Grace Addams (Ravenclaw) and Karen Longfellow (Gryffindor) were leaning out of the compartment, calling her. When she joined them, Lily brushed kisses across the two girls' cheeks; Remus blushed furiously while James and Sirius drooled.

"Hi, guys." Three heads whipped around; the last member of their little group, Peter Pettigrew, was standing there, his arms and pockets laden down with all manner of sweets and pasties from the food cart.

"Hi, Pete," they echoed, withdrawing into the compartment and sliding back into their seats. Peter poured his load of candy out on the seat beside him, and the others helped themselves.

"What's with you two? Siri? Jim?" Peter asked thickly through a mouthful of Cauldron Cake after a few moments of eating in companionable silence. "Your makeup's worse than ever, Siri. And I thought _you'd_ never wear makeup, Jim."

"Can't a bloke change his mind every now and then?" James asked amiably, while Sirius glowered at Peter. "Besides, it has its benefits."

"It does?" Peter asked skeptically.

"You better believe it," Remus said sweetly, looking at James. "Lily Evans stopped in to tell Jim he looked 'cute'."

"Well, you're better than Siri," Peter shrugged.

"Come on!" Sirius exploded. "What's wrong with me? I look _hot_, right, Remmie?"

"Just like Brian Slade," Remus said, fighting back a laugh.

"Nah, more like Curt Wild after a bad dye job," James contradicted him, and they burst into laughter. Well, except for Sirius, who tackled James and began tickling him.

"Surrender, Jim!"

"Never! Gerroff!"

"Now, boys," Remus reprimanded them lightly, "Watch out, I can report you for that."

Sirius shook back his hair and winked at Remus. "Sure. But I notice you've never reported yourself after all those snog sessions behind the greenhouses..."

James howled with laughter as Remus turned bright fuschia and Peter looked revolted. "Siri!" Remus cried in embarrassment.

"Saint Lupin you're not," Sirius teased, pulling a mirror from his pocket and checking to see if his lipstick was smudged. "But curse you anyway for being a prefect three years in a row."

"Can you - can you - can you imagine Remmie 'tarted up'?" Jim gasped as he struggled back to his seat.

"I have." Sirius replied. "And I think it'd be a sight hotter than the one we just witnessed in the hall."

"What scene?" Peter asked, while Remus closed his book and sat up straighter, trying to look intimidating.

"Sirius Black, James Potter - I don't care how hot you think I'd be in makeup, I really don't. You won't get me to wear it, I swear -"

"Oh, come on, Remmie!" Sirius put on his pleading puppy-dog look, the one that was infinitely difficult for his boyfriend to resist. Remus struggled to keep to his resolve. He wouldn't let it happen, no, no - he was a prefect, he was supposed to be providing a good example for the younger students - and yet, it didn't help that he was the best friend of one of Hogwarts' two biggest troublemakers, and dating the other. (Not that they hadn't _tried_ to cover up their relationship; but Sirius kissing him in the Great Hall one morning at breakfast had ruined their charade.)

"Yeah, Remmie! Please?" James begged. He and Sirius looked nearly desperate; Remus wondered how many hours they had spent holed up in James' room that summer, giving each other makeovers.

"Just let us try," Sirius pleaded. "If you don't like it, you can take it off and we'll never, ever say a word about it again. Promise."

Remus doubted they would keep to that promise; but whatever got them off his back for awhile. And, if they were busy making him over, they wouldn't be wandering the train, hexing Slytherins (mostly Snape) just for fun. He sighed, resigned to his fate.

"Okay. But nothing _too_ outrageous."

Sirius and James grinned at each other and dove for their trunks, rummaging around and yanking out their supplies of makeup. Peter and Remus stared, wide-eyed, as their friends lined up countless bottles, tubes, and boxes.

James and Sirius began muttering to each other, their backs turned. Finally, they turned around, smiling evilly. Remus gulped. Those were the grins he associated with imminent danger. But he had agreed...

"Sit tight, Remmie!" Sirius cooed, as he and James converged on the frightened-looking werewolf. "We've got what you need to be a glam beauty, love!"

"Glitter, spice, and everything nice," James sniggered.

* * *

After twenty minutes of enduring pawing hands, getting poked in the eye three times with a mascara brush, and feeling woozy from the smell of nail polish, Remus' makeover was complete. Sirius and James drew away, gawking at what they had accomplished. Remus fought an urge to bite his lip, so as not to ruin the lip gloss James had so carefully applied. His eyes flickered from James to Sirius to Peter, all of whom were staring at him. "It looks awful, doesn't it?"

Getting no response, he reached for Sirius' mirror and gasped. Staring back at him was a gorgeous, mysterious stranger - could that possibly the _the_ Remus Jean Lupin looking back at him? This Remus was beautiful. A generous application of mascara had transformed his lashes into the long, dark lashes of a faerietale princess. The lip gloss James had used on him made his lips look luscious and kissable. Brownish-gold eyeshadow, courtesy of Sirius, brought out his hazel eyes, making them look more stunning than Remus would have ever believed. And a light, light layer of gold glitter made his skin sparkle.

He raised his eyes back to his friends. They were looking back at him, waiting for some kind of response.

"Er - is this - is this really me?" he finally managed. "It's just - I mean... it... I'm not this beautiful..."

Sirius sniggered. "Yeah, right. Remmie, trust me, you're gorgeous - it doesn't take an idiot to figure it out. Well, except in your case."

Remus punched him in the arm. "Shut up! Come on, you'd tell me if it looked bad, wouldn't you?"

"Of course," James said soothingly. "Siri's just a jerk. You know that by now, Moony. You look fab."

"Really?" Remus had to refrain from biting his lip again.

All three boys nodded. "It looks like... you look like... I don't know, but it looks nice," Peter said shyly, blushing. It was his comment that made Remus feel better; Peter could always be counted on to give an honest opinion. But still, Remus couldn't help but worry all the rest of the way to school, wondering what in the world everyone would say once they got an eyeful of his new look...

* * *

"Did you see, did you see?"

"Don't they look _good_?"

"Black and Potter, I'd expect - but _Lupin_ ?"

"Wait. _Remus_ Lupin?"

"Yes!"

Whispers and mutters swept through the Great Hall as the Marauders passed the Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables to join the rest of the Gryffindors. Remus cringed; he was a very self-conscious person, and the stares he was getting were making him feel more and more uneasy. He couldn't tell if everyone thought he looked good, or bad, or if they thought he had gone stock raving mad. He sunk into a chair between Sirius and Lily Evans, wishing he could become invisible.

Lily glanced over at Remus as he sat down, did a double take, and turned 'round to gape at him. "Remus!" she gasped, as Grace and Karen leaned around her to gape as well. "You - you look -"

"Awful, right?" Remus said gloomily.

"_No!_ " Lily shook her head emphatically. "You look - _sexy_," she said. "Not that I'm hitting on him, Sirius." (Sirius had quite a reputation for being very jealous over who was ogling his Moony.) "What happened?"

"Sirius and James were bored on the train," Remus said. "They begged me. I couldn't say no."

"Well, they did a fantastic job," Lily smiled, before turning back to her friends. Remus blinked; he hadn't expected that. James was beaming; apparently he was pleased at whatever compliment, no matter how small and insignificant, that Lily decided to throw his way. The Hall fell silent as Professor Dumbledore stood to give his welcoming speech, and even though Remus kept his gaze and attention focused on the headmaster, he could sense people all over the room glancing at him.

Dumbledore sat down at last and food materialized on the golden plates. Most students were starving after the long train ride and began gobbling down everything within reach; Remus however, could do nothing but poke at a baked potato. It was all right for Sirius and James, he thought miserably; after all, they loved attention and didn't mind getting stared at. But he hated all this attention. On the other hand, he liked looking nice for Sirius...

"Oh, bolloks," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

The next day started off with another makeover. Pleased by their success, James and Sirius would have gone farther than they had last night if Remus hadn't threatened to curse them. Unwilling to go up against Remus' excellent jinxing abilities, the two boys settled for the same look they had given to Remus the day before. Remus eyed himself nervously in the mirror. It was true that the makeup made him look dramatically different, in a good way; but he still wasn't comfortable with it.

Meanwhile, Sirius was grumbling under his breath as he got dressed. As they were back in school, he and James had been forced to abandon their tight t-shirts and jeans in favour of the neat grey trousers, starched white shirts, grey pullovers, and red-and-gold striped ties that were the school uniform. James muttered something unkind as he pulled his robes on over the lot; Remus just shook his head. Uniform or no, they'd find a way to tart themselves up.

And indeed they did. James painted his nails dark blue during breakfast; Sirius was wearing spangly purple eyeshadow, matching glitter, and black lipstick - a nearly horrifying combination, especially when they entered their first class, Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall nearly had a heart attack at the sight of Sirius - at least, standing next to his lover, Remus didn't feel so uneasy about his own makeup.

The bell had barely rung for break when Remus found himself the center of attention from several of his classmates, all of whom were fascinated. They kept asking him if he had done his own makeup, and where he had gotten his glitter - finally Sirius managed to chase them away. They retreated to a corner of the courtyard, huddling together in a vain attempt to keep any overenthusiastic females away.

"Hey Jim, look... it's Lily..." Sirius said softly, nodding across the courtyard.

Lily was standing on the other side of the yard, talking to Grace and Karen, but every now and then, she glanced towards the Marauders' corner. It also seemed like her friends were giggling a lot more than usual. Remus wondered what was up.

"Gonna ask her out, Jim-Prongs?" Sirius asked casually. "You've only got a year left, you know. If she doesn't say yes this year... flush. Down the toilet. But then, I'm amazed she even comes within fifty feet of you since that thing with Snape."

"Look who's talking," James snapped. "You were in it as much as I was."

"I'm not out to impress Evans, though," his best friend responded lightly. "I've got my Moony."

James glared, then turned sharply on his heel. He marched across the courtyard, heading for Lily. Remus and Peter stared after him, then whirled on Sirius.

"What did you do that for?"

"You know she hates him!"

"Easy, lads," Sirius drawled. "Let's see what happens, first, before you start ganging up on me."

They watched with bated breath. James and Lily had moved away from Grace and Karen, and stood talking for a couple of minutes. Then the bell rang, and James hurried to join them as they headed off for Potions. He refused to answer when they asked him what Lily had said.

"I'll tell you later, okay?"

Remus couldn't wonder for long over what James and Lily had agreed upon; Potions was not his best subject, so he needed to pay close attention to what he was doing. The solution they were working on today was simpler than most, but required several different simmering periods. While the potion simmered, Remus became almost painfully aware of the stares he was getting from the Slytherins. Even worse, he knew Severus Snape was watching him very closely.

Snape and the Marauders had never gotten along very well. He was always hanging around with a batch of Slytherins who were some of the worst of the lot - including Sirius' younger brother Regulus, and their older cousin Bellatrix, who had graduated from Hogwarts last year. After a prank Sirius had pulled on him the year before, a prank which almost got him killed, Snape's loathing of the Marauders seemed to have increased. So Remus could not understand why Snape seemed so transfixed at that moment.

He looked over at Sirius, who was glaring at Snape as he stirred his and James' potion. Snape hadn't said a single word to Sirius, hadn't even looked his way - so why was Sirius glaring like that? Usually, he and Snape chose to ignore each other. Remus glanced back and forth between the two, before comprehension hit him like a ton of bricks. That was it. His makeup. Snape was probably stunned by it, and was trying to come up with a particularly scathing comment; but Sirius, who was very protective (and more than a little possessive), probably knew that Snape was going to try and insult Remus. Yes, that must be it.

Keeping his head down, Remus resumed working on his potion. He frowned to himself as he tipped newts' eyes into the cauldron. He was going to have to put his foot down - no matter what Lily, James, or Sirius said, Remus knew he looked horrible in makeup. He vowed never to wear it again.

So no one was more surprised than he when several classmates complimented him on his new look when the bell rang to signal the end of class.

"Looking good, Lupin!"

"I wish _I_ looked that good in eyeshadow..."

"I always envied Black for being your boyfriend..."

The Slytherins, of course, whispered all sorts of rude things, but Remus felt a trifle dazed and didn't pay attention.

Sirius, however, was in a towering temper as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. He kept glaring in the direction of the Slytherin table, and didn't even seem to notice as James set a large dish of steak-and-kidney pie in front of him. James waved a hand energetically in front of his face.

"Hello, Earth to Padfoot, do you read me?"

"What?" Sirius snapped, then blinked. "Sorry, Jim. What?"

James rolled his eyes. "You're staring at the Slytherin table. What's wrong, mate? Fancy one of them?"

"_NO!_" Sirius recoiled in disgust, putting an arm around Remus. "C'mon, Prongs, you know I'm totally devoted to Moony. But the thing is, I think someone else might be, too!"

Remus nearly choked on his pie. "Sirius! What are you talking about!"

"Didn't you see Snape staring at you during Potions?" Sirius asked. "You know, I always thought he fancied you -"

"Paranoid much, Sirius?" teased Peter.

"Can it."

"I'm not that good-looking," Remus said softly.

"If you say that again I'll hex you," Sirius warned him, waving a fork threateningly under his boyfriend's nose. "You're _beautiful_. And the makeup job only makes you look even better."

"So if I look so bloody good that Snape is staring at me, it's all your fault," Remus pointed out. "You and Jim are the ones who - how did you put it? - 'tarted me up'."

"But you look so _good_," Sirius whined, but before he and Remus could fall into a lover's quarrel, Lily Evans walked by, on her way to an empty seat. Not unusual - but when she waggled her fingers at them in a casual way, all four Marauders nearly tumbled out of their seats. They had always thought Lily despised them all - with the possible exception of Remus, who was in Charms Club with Lily and generally got along quite well with her - but never had they expected that. It also directed Sirius' attention back to the events of that morning.

"Hey, Jim - you promised to tell us, what did you and Lily talk about during break?"

James shrugged. "You know, the usual. Asked her how her holiday went..."

"Jiii-iiim..."

"All right, all right! So I asked her to come to Hogsmeade with me, okay?" James said defiantly, a flush spreading across his cheeks.

"And?" Sirius leaned forward, his shoulder-length hair brushing his cheek in an almost seductive manner.

"She said okay." James was bright red by now, but continued to look at them as if daring them to make a sarcastic comment. "And... she asked me to wear makeup when we go."

Sirius blinked rapidly. "She did?"

"Amazing," Remus said softly.

"Good things can come of wearing makeup. Do you see now, Remmie?" James asked.

"So do bad things," said Remus, glancing over at the Slytherin table. To his immense disquiet, Snape was eyeing him. He turned quickly back 'round. "I wish I had never let you make me over," he moaned.

"So do I, sometimes," Sirius replied, glaring at a few girls who were staring dreamily at Remus. "But only sometimes."

To Be Continued.

* * *

_(A/N: Ah, the start of a new S/R fic. Of course this is mainly S/R-centric, but I want to throw in some James/Lily and other romances for interest. I don't see anyone complaining. (Of course not. There aren't any reviews yet!) _

If you read the warnings at the beginning, you probably have figured that this will become an R quite soon. (Or an M, or a 16, or whatever the highest rating is on whatever damned rating score we're using now.) Keep that in mind! I would hate for anyone to lose track of the story. I'll warn you ahead of time, so you'll know when to start looking in the R categories.

Anyone who's read any of my other R-rated stories will know I'm not as graphic or "adult" as other authors. So if you're looking for detailed sex... sorry, can't help you! But please give it a try anyway! What do you say?)


	2. The CrossDressing Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

* * *

Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice 

**Chapter 2 - The Cross-Dressing Chapter**

Sirius yawned widely, treating the entire Gryffindor common room to an unobscured view of his tonsils. "I'm so bored."

Remus didn't even look up from his homework. "Why don't you work on that essay for Transfiguration, then?"

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times, Remmie," Sirius said patiently. "I don't need to look at that rubbish. I know it all!"

"Funny, considering it's on all new topics we've discussed," Remus said irritably.

"Ease up, Moony." James grinned. "You know you'll only be having this lovers' quarrel in two days or so, when Siri is rushing to finish the work ten minutes before McGonagall's class."

"If he knows it as well as he says he does, ten minutes before McGonagall's class will be _plenty_ of time," Remus mumbled. He was such a studious, diligent boy that others' refusals to take their studies seriously aggravated him to no end.

James ignored this last and turned to his best mate. "Oi. Siri, the Wanderers are playing the Bats next week."

Sirius sat up, suddenly all ears. The upcoming match between the Wigtown Wanderers, James' favoured Quidditch team, and the Ballycastle Bats, Sirius' most beloved team, was one of high anticipation among Quidditch fans. "Yeah, I know. What about it?"

"I thought we could make it a tad... interesting," James offered. "A gentlemanly wager, if you will."

Remus groaned inwardly. Sirius' eyes were already alight with the look his boyfriend associated with impending trouble. "A wager, eh? What exactly did you have in mind?"

"Not much." James toyed innocently with his quill. "I just thought... well, if I won, you'd have to dress in drag. For the entire day."

There was silence as Sirius and Remus gaped at him. Remus pleaded Sirius silently to decline. But it was too late. The familiar naughty, mischievous smile was creeping across his boyfriend's face. "Deal, Jim. But it goes both ways. If I win, _you_ have to dress in drag for a day. And prance around in front of Evans."

"Then you have to prance around Remus," James said quickly, not to be outdone. "Deal?"

"Deal," Sirius grinned, and the two boys shook on it.

Remus buried his face in his hands and moaned.

* * *

The days preceding the Wanderers-Bats match were fraught with anticipation and nervousness. Most of the common room had heard about the wager between James and Sirius, and gossipy tongues had carried the tale throughout the school. Everyone was eager to see the outcome of the bet. 

Sirius and James, however, seemed to be untouched by anxiety. Remus personally felt they were siphoning off their worries into him, because he felt worried enough for three people.

But why was he worried? he asked himself one night, staring up at the canopy of his bed. It wasn't as if he was averse to others seeing how stupid Sirius could be - because that was unavoidable, really - so why was he so apprehensive?

_Maybe because you think you'll like it,_ his mind whispered deviously.

Remus rolled over and punched his pillow. Like it? What was there to like about a man in women's clothes? If he had _wanted_ someone in women's clothes, he would have gone for a girl in the first place. Right?

Except that his feelings for Sirius had always been based purely on the wonderful person he was, on his character and his personality, and _not_ his gender. _Why does it have to be this way?_ he asked himself miserably. _Why can't everyone see that I've chosen a sweet, loving, wonderful person to be with? Why should it matter if Sirius is a girl or a bloke?_

But he was off the subject. He had been trying to figure out exactly why he didn't want the whole of Hogwarts to see Sirius in drag. If it came to that, that is.

His mind tried to present him a picture of Sirius in a pouffy white blouse and a short grey skirt like the one Lily Evans wore with her uniform, but he pushed it away. Squashed it into a ball. Locked the ball in a metal box, swallowed the key, wrapped the box in chains, dipped it in cement, buried the box in the ground, and rolled a boulder over it. That done, he rolled onto his side and fell asleep.

But that thought soon proved to be the Harry Houdini of all fantasies; it escaped its prison many times that night, only to appear in Remus' dreams. No wonder Remus felt distinctly unsettled as he arose the next morning. It took a little extra help from Sirius' makeup kit to cover the shadows under his eyes that day.

* * *

James' cousin was also an avid follower of the Wigtown Wanderers, and worked as a curse-breaker for Gringotts. He was on holiday for a while, and to James' immense jealousy, had gotten tickets for himself and his mates to see the match. The only thing James could do was to beg his cousin to owl him with the results of the match _immediately_ afterwards. 

Naturally, his cousin and his friends had gotten soused after the match, and the owl didn't arrive until the morning after the game, written in a shaky hand.

_-Dear Jimmy - Wanderers won. Head hurts horribly. Mum and Dad say hello. Hope you're feeling better than I am. Best, Will.-_

James whooped, and Remus' stomach lurched unpleasantly. "In your face, Black!" James cheered, thrusting the letter into his friend's hands. "Wanderers won! You lost the bet! Better get into your pantyhose and frilly knickers, m'lady!"

Sirius smiled over the top of the letter, before folding it and tossing it onto James' vacant chair. "So I have, Jim," he said pleasantly.

"You're taking this awfully well," Remus said suspiciously.

"I've always wondered what I might look like in a frock, love," Sirius said cheerfully. Then he lowered his voice and winked. "Besides, I'll pay Jim back for this." His voice raised to normal. "So, seeing as today is Saturday, I suppose I have much more of a choice on what to wear. But where shall I get these women's clothes, Jim?"

James smiled smugly. "Lily volunteered to help," he said, ruining Sirius' one escape. "She and her friend Karen are going to make you over."

As if on cue, Lily and Karen popped out of nowhere, their arms filled with clothes and shoes. "Come on," Lily said, dragging Sirius up the stairs to the boys' dorms. Sirius looked back at James, Remus, and Peter and shrugged before following.

* * *

"What d'you think they're doing to him?" Remus asked an hour later, as he and James were playing a game of wizard chess. 

"Dunno. But I can't wait to see," James chuckled. Remus was frankly amazed that James didn't seem to mind that the girl he was crazy about was locked in a room with his best friend. Remus knew he himself was more than a little jealous at the thought of Lily Evans spending an hour with a nearly-nude Sirius.

"Done!" Lily's voice called. Remus' stomach twisted, and he turned to look as James, Peter, and the other Gryffindors did the same. Lily and Karen were flanking the stairs to the boys' dorms, looking immensely proud.

"This took a lot of work, and more charms than you can imagine," Lily said. "Enlarging the clothes and shoes to fit him... casting glamours on him... you'd better appreciate the results!" she said, glaring in James' direction.

James held up his hands. "Okay, I promise. Now, where is our princess?"

Karen poked her head up the stairs. "Sirius! You can come out now!"

A pause, then the sound of high heels on the stairs. Sirius came into view, and jaws dropped all around the common room.

Sirius was wearing a thigh-high, purple leather miniskirt that clung to him like a second skin. His legs looked amazing; Lily had cast a glamour on them so the hair didn't show. Or maybe Sirius had been talked into shaving his legs. Either was possible.

On Sirius' feet were a pair of glittering silver sandals with six-inch spike heels. His toenails were painted lavender to match the tight t-shirt he wore. Draped over his shoulders was a black feather boa streaked with glittery purple strands, and on his head Sirius bore a black hat with a wide brim, a giant bow, and an ostrich feather sticking up from the band. Purple eyeshadow was smeared on his eyelids, lipstick of a sexy dark red anointed his lips, and gobs of mascara stretched his eyelashes out so long they looked completely fake. Remus could have fainted, and nearly did when Sirius reached his side (walking in tiny, mincing steps that made his hips sway like a girl's) and planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving a smear of lipstick.

Laughter and applause broke out across the room. James was laughing so hard he was crying; Peter was blushing furiously. Lily and Karen looked very satisfied with their handiwork. Remus was heartily embarrassed, even moreso when his boyfriend seated himself on his knee and draped the end of the boa across his shoulders. Sirius looked like the mother - father? - of all prostitutes.

The amazement and incredulous stares continued throughout the day. The Great Hall fell into a stunned silence when Sirius sauntered into lunch as if his outfit were a everyday thing for him, and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Even the teachers couldn't find a word to say. Professor McGonagall looked as though she were on the verge of being ill, but to her credit, she made it throughout the meal without becoming sick.

Regulus, Sirius' younger brother, stormed over from the Slytherin table just as the Marauders were helping themselves to a delicious apple pie. He looked furious as he ran an appraising glance over his brother. When he spoke, his voice throbbed with rage. "You like being a freak, don't you?" he inquired, without so much as a preliminary hello.

"I enjoy it very much," Sirius said calmly.

"Do you even know how embarrassing this is for me? Now I'll be known as the brother of the 'Gryffindor cross-dresser'! God! Just wait until I tell Mum and Da. As if you weren't enough of an embarrassment in our family already -"

"I don't even live with you anymore," Sirius said indifferently. "I don't care what you tell Mum and Da. Tell them I've gotten a bloody sex change, if that's what you want. I don't give a damn what any of you think of me."

Regulus snorted and stomped off. James and Remus raised their eyebrows at Sirius (Peter, intent on his pie, hadn't even noticed an argument had taken place). Sirius just shook his head.

"I _don't_ care," he insisted. "Just forget about him."

He polished off his pie and stood, tugging discreetly at the hem of his miniskirt, which had ridden most of the way up his thighs during the meal. Remus forced himself to look away. He suddenly felt hot, almost feverish. What was wrong with him? First he had been embarrassed, and he still was, but now a new feeling rose in him every time he looked at Sirius' suspiciously smooth legs - oh, Lord, could it possibly be _arousal_?

Meekly, he followed his friends upstairs.

* * *

The rest of the day was torture for the young werewolf. Though the Marauders spent their afternoon doing nothing more nefarious than their homework, Remus was constantly queasy. Every time he looked at Sirius, his eyes were drawn to his lover's legs, arse, lips - hell, even his painted toenails were sexy - and his stomach would do a lazy backflip, making him almost ill. 

He stared, too. A lot. Every so often, he would glance up from his work and stare at whatever part of Sirius' body attracted his fancy, until either a snigger or a nudge from James would make him go back to his work. By the time supper rolled around, he felt so ill that he couldn't do much more than pick at his food. It was time to get away. He announced that he was feeling tired, and that he was going to retire early.

Sirius got to his feet, wobbling a little on his shoes. "Wait, Remmie. I'm ready to turn in too. Walking in these shoes all day is exceptionally tiring."

"Er - okay." Remus felt a flush spread across his cheeks as they retreated from the Great Hall. As soon as they were in the entrance hall, Sirius took his arm and smiled apologetically.

"Do you mind? I'm not going to make it up there without help. Damn bloody shoes feel like someone's driven a railroad spike into my leg."

"It's okay," Remus managed. He helped Sirius make his ungainly way to their dorm. When they reached it at last, Sirius collapsed onto his bed with a sigh and gave two large kicks, sending the offending shoes flying. Once they had crashed to the floor, he turned to smile at Remus.

"You know, you never said a word all day about me new look," he pouted, putting on his best Ringo Starr impersonation. Those sexy red lips pooched out. "Hurt my feelings, love."

"What am I supposed to say?" Remus looked away. "If I wanted a woman, I would have gotten one, right? So why would I want a man in women's clothes?"

Sirius pulled him down on the bed and nuzzled his neck. "Because it's sexy, and you know it. Don't deny it. I can tell." He chuckled as Remus, heartily embarrassed, pulled away from him and put a pillow in his lap.

"So what if I think it is?" Remus asked defensively.

"I'd do it more often if you did," Sirius teased, but patted his knee when Remus blanched. "I'm kidding, love."

Remus ran a finger down Sirius' leg, trying to think of a reply. But he realised something, and looked at Sirius accusingly. "This isn't a glamour! You _did_ shave your legs, didn't you?"

"Correction, Remmie. Waxed them." Sirius winked. "No hair for at least two weeks. Evans promised."

Remus' mouth went dry. He tried to lick his lips, running his hand up Sirius' shin and over his thigh. His tongue felt like sandpaper. "You have gorgeous legs," he managed.

His boyfriend's smirk widened. "It's about time you noticed. Come here."

He grabbed the front of Remus' robes and pulled him down for a kiss. Remus' hands moved over the satiny skin of Sirius' thighs before disappearing under the skirt. He gasped.

"Sweet Merlin, Sirius! Are you _really_ wearing girl's knickers!"

"And if I was?"

"How did Evans talk you into that?" Remus asked suspiciously, and another thought occurred to him. "Dear God! Are those EVANS' knickers!"

"Not in the least, I promise," Sirius said. "That would get me killed."

"Then whose are they?"

"My own, if you must know," Sirius said, reddening. "I was... experimenting."

"Experimenting?" Remus asked warily.

"Well, you know... I always kind of wondered what women's underwear was like..." His boyfriend was an apoplectic red by now.

Remus leaned over and nipped at his earlobe. "That's hot, love," he said breathlessly.

"It is?" Sirius said weakly. That had been the _last_ thing he had expected Remus to say.

"Mmm."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I ... took off the rest?"

Remus hit him with a pillow. "Get changed," he said, suddenly businesslike. "James and Peter are coming." His sensitive wolf hearing had picked up the sound of their friends saying goodnight to Lily in the common room.

Sirius whined as Remus changed into his pyjamas and climbed into his own bed. "I thought you liked it!"

"I do," Remus said. "But now is not the time to discuss it." He dropped a rather roguish wink at his mate. "Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight," Sirius said, dazed, as Remus' curtains swung shut. He changed into his own pyjamas and climbed into bed. A sudden thought occurred to him just as he was falling asleep.

"I wonder what Remmie would look like in drag..."

To Be Continued.

* * *

_(A/N: Yeah, I know. I'm going to receive a lot of backlash for putting Sirius in girls' knickers. For dressing him in drag, even! I guess it's not everyone's kink. But dammit, I stand by it! And anyway, Sirius in frilly yellow panties would look a million times better than any cross-dressing old hillbilly man on the Jerry Springer Show. (Whatever happened to that show? I used to watch it every day, and then it disappeared!) Y'know, I just might draw Sirius as he looked in this chapter. Hehehe. _

Well, I'm pleased to announce that I've finally gotten a DeviantArt account, so if I DO draw that Sirius, you can see him! As it is, I already have a different cross-dressing Sirius in my gallery. I'd be really thrilled if you could take a look.  
_  
__r y u - n o - j o o u . d e v i a n t a r t . c o m / _

Obviously, you have to take out the spaces after you copy and paste, or it won't work. Why won't let us put up links to web addresses anymore?)


	3. The Girls' Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

* * *

Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice

**Chapter 3 - The Girls' Chapter**

Grace Addams was a seventh-year Ravenclaw. She was a bright, vivacious girl with a brilliant smile and a sweet temperament. She was a little on the pudgy side, but her bouncy blonde curls and sparkling sapphire eyes drew attention away from her waistline. She always had a kind word and a smile for everyone, and was an expert at listening and giving advice. She had been Lily Evans' best friend since the age of six, and the two girls loved each other like sisters.

But today, the day after the debut of Sirius' alter ego, Grace wasn't at all her usual, perky self. Instead, she was so completely unlike herself that students who normally called to her or waved in the corridors didn't recognise her at all.

Grace shuffled outside into the early Sunday-morning sunshine, her clogs flip-flopping as she headed for the spot near the lake where she, Lily, and Karen always met. She plopped down on the grass, smoothing her skirt over her knees before resting her chin in her hands and staring out across the lake with a long, anxious sigh.

"Grace!" Lily was running across the grass, her long red hair trailing like a banner in the wind, her saucy red skirt flipping prettily around her knees. Karen followed at a more leisurely pace, dressed in blue-and-green-striped bellbottoms and a green sweater.

"Whatever is the matter, darling?" Lily inquired, kneeling beside Grace and kissing her cheek. "You look positively depressed. Has one of the Slytherins been teasing you again?"

"No," Grace sighed. "It's nothing, really."

"Are you sure?" Karen asked skeptically. "Your bottom lip could serve as a ledge for suicidal jumpers."

The analogy was so ridiculous that Grace burst out laughing. She suddenly felt a lot better, and decided to tell the truth.

"I'm just put out because I was asked on a date," she confessed.

Lily and Karen blinked in disbelief. The idea of anyone being put out after being chatted up was hard to imagine. They stared at Grace, waiting for some sort of explanation. After a few seconds of puzzled silence, Grace elaborated.

"By Peter Pettigrew."

"Ohhh," the other two said in unison. Peter was the small, mousy boy who trailed along after James Potter and Sirius Black, a look of exalted adoration upon his pudgy face as he gazed at his friends. He was completely incompetent at lessons and was a dismal failure when it came to being charming, witty, or any other quality essential to an excellent boyfriend. Of course they couldn't judge him from what little they knew or saw of him; but it was easy to see why Grace was so fussed.

"When did he ask you out?" Karen asked in confusion.

"Yesterday afternoon, right after lunch. Everyone was so busy looking at Sirius Black in those ridiculous clothes of yours, that he snuck away and asked me while everyone's attention was elsewhere. Blocked my view of Black's legs, too," she said, a little sadly.

"Well, what did you say?" Lily wanted to know.

"I told him I'd think about it. I guess that's more than anyone's ever told him, because he looked really happy when I said it." Grace felt even more depressed when she thought that she was probably the only girl Peter had ever had an interest in - at least, the first girl he had fancied who hadn't been swiftly courted and dumped by either Potter or Black. Potter had dated several girls in the past, trying to prove he didn't care that Lily didn't like him (and failing miserably). Black had been quite the skirt-chaser until halfway through sixth year, when he suddenly started dating Remus Lupin - a puzzle no one at Hogwarts had yet figured out.

Grace shook herself out of her thoughts. "So... well, that's why I'm out of it," she said lamely.

"Oh, love." Lily patted her leg sympathetically. "It's hard to turn someone down. But if you really don't want to go with him, it might be easier if you just reject him. No good ever came out of a relationship where one person didn't love the other."

"I can't stand to tell him no," Grace said hopelessly. "All I can think of is what a blow it would be to him, if the first girl he ever asks out refuses. I don't want to go, but I hate the idea of telling him that."

"Why don't you just try it?" Karen suggested. "One trip to Hogsmeade can't hurt, can it? It would make the both of you feel better. If you don't like him after that, by all means drop him, but at least give him a chance. That's what I would do."

"Oh, you would _not!_" Lily cried, nudging Karen with her elbow. But Grace nodded. The sparkle in her eyes and the radiant smile had returned.

"That's only fair. I think I will do it your way, Karen."

Karen straightened up and tossed her shoulder-length brown hair out of her eyes, mollified. "Thank you, dear. Now, Lils" - she was suddenly businesslike - "I have a question for you. _Why_ in the world did you accept Potter's invitation to Hogsmeade, after all these years of hating him and avoiding him and referring to him as an 'arrogant, bullying toerag'?"

Lily squirmed uncomfortably. She had been afraid of having her motives under scrutiny, but there was no way she could lie to her closest friends. They would see through a fib in an instant, so there was no other option. "It's kind of a long story," she said.

"We've got time," Karen crossed her legs and leaned comfortably against Grace's shoulder.

Lily sighed. "Well... I was so _mad_ at him after that thing with Snape. You saw it, you know what happened. I mean, I don't like Snape much but compared to Potter and his friends..." she clenched her fists. "Potter and Black and Pettigrew - and even _Remus_, for Merlin's sake - got me so angry. I know Remus a little, from Charms Club, and he's usually this really sweet, thoughtful bloke. I get on better with him than any of his friends, and always have. I didn't speak to him for a week after that, until he apologised to me. But Potter... and Black, but mostly Potter... they were so... stupid." She glanced towards the spot where it had happened, and bit her lip.

"It drove me mad that people could be so cruel. In my mind, Voldemort's followers are evil enough, do we really need such childish taunting and bullying going on at school as well? So I ignored Potter for the rest of the year. And for all of last year. Well - almost all."

Her cheeks flushed as she remembered. "It was so stupid, but it still makes me feel ashamed. It was a day or so before we went home, and I was bringing a bunch of books back to the library for Professor Flitwick. And that awful Slytherin girl - Bellatrix Black, she was a seventh year - came out of nowhere. I don't know what had her ruffled. But she was in a towering temper, and came stomping around the corner smack into me. We fell down, and I spilled the books all over the corridor. But Bellatrix had the nerve to act like it was all _my_ fault. She shrieked at me and threw a book at my head, and started screaming about how all Mudbloods should die and all that. I was trying to pick up those stupid books and there she was, yelling her fool head off about the 'pure-blooded dignity of the wizarding world' and blah, blah, blah. She kept trying to kick me at the same time. I dodged a few, but she got me every now and then, too.

"Potter came around the corner, saw what was going on, and went mad at Bellatrix. Yelled things like "Clear off or I'll tell Sirius what you were doing, and he'll be happy to talk to you about it", stuff like that. She left, and he bent down to help me pick up the books. I must have looked a sight, because I was crying by then and my mascara was dribbling down my face, my hair all mussed up, and my sleeve was torn where Bellatrix had snagged it on one of those ugly pointed granny boots she wore. But he didn't say anything at first. He stacked up the books and just waited until I'd stopped crying. Then he mopped me up with his handkerchief and said, "I'm sorry, Evans," like it was _his_ fault! Then he picked up the books and said, "I'll return these, don't worry about it," and left. I felt so stupid, standing there with his handkerchief, and I hadn't even said thank you." she shifted. "It wasn't the first time he'd yelled at someone who insulted me, but it was the first time he did anything without trying to get me to go out with him, or pressing me about liking him, or even saying anything sarcastic or mean. I felt so bad, but I was embarrassed, too, so I avoided him until we came back to school. I figure I owe him for what he did."

"Wow," Grace said, wide-eyed.

"I did notice Potter hasn't been bothering you like he has every other year," Karen said thoughtfully. "Who knows? Maybe he's growing up."

"Maybe he is," Lily said softly.

* * *

After dinner that night, Grace stood outside the doors of the Great Hall, shifting from foot to foot and gnawing on her fingernails as she scanned the slow trickle of people who emerged, gorged and sleepy, from the Hall. Her stomach seemed full of fluttering, feathery butterflies, and she wondered if she could make it for another few minutes without becoming ill.

Her heart jumped when she saw the familiar dark heads of Sirius Black and James Potter moving through the crowd; the mousy head of Peter Pettigrew and the tawny head of Remus Lupin trailed behind.

Grace slid off the base of the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw she had been sitting on, and pushed her way through the mass of students until she was right behind the four boys. One of them had obviously just told a joke, because they were all sniggering heartily. Grace hesitated, then reached out and tugged at Peter's sleeve.

He turned around, looking half-defiant, half-scared - an expression of one who is often bullied and constantly promises oneself that the _next_ encounter will be different, the next encounter will show that one was not to be trifled with. But it faded when he recognised her, and he looked nervous but not angry. "Grace."

"Pete?" James was looking at them curiously. Sirius and Remus had paused on the stairs - holding hands, Grace noted. Peter waved at them.

"I'll catch you up," he said simply. There was a pause, during which Grace feared that Peter's friends would stick around and listen in, giggling at everything they said; but they only shrugged and headed for their common room. Grace swallowed.

"What did you want?" His grey eyes were wary.

"I just... I was just going to answer your question," she said, blushing.

"Oh!" he looked suddenly hopeful.

She drew a deep breath. "I'll go. T-to Hogsmeade with you, I mean."

His smile was shy and lovely. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome," she said awkwardly.

"Well -"

"Goodnight." Grace turned away and hurried up the stairs, blushing furiously. She would have felt more confident about her decision had she turned that moment to see Peter standing motionless in the entrance hall, a dazzling smile on his face.

To Be Continued.

* * *

_  
(A/N: A short note on clothing. In my version of the HP universe, I try to keep a balance between Muggle clothes and wizard's robes - not like the movies, which concentrate heavily on one or the other; or the books, where the children just seem to wear robes over their Muggle clothes. It's different in my stories. During the week, the children wear robes and uniforms; on weekends, they wear Muggle clothes. Maybe it's a little unrealistic, since each child would have to bring twice the clothes to Hogwarts; but just bear with me, okay? It makes things easier. I just wanted to clear that up, especially since this story will have a switching of clothes every now and again, and I didn't want anyone to be confused.)_


	4. The Random Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

* * *

Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice

**Chapter 4 - The Random Chapter**

Regulus Black had a reputation among his fellow Slytherins. Normally, the Slytherins regarded him with respect and awe, even among the sixth and seventh years. This was because Regulus was the favoured son of the Black family, easily the most aristocratic and proud pure-blooded family throughout all of Britain. They loved his practise of ridiculing Muggle-borns and half-bloods - 'Mudbloods', if you will - and eagerly joined him in taunting everyone with Muggle ancestry who resided within Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw.

But this new reputation was a reputation Regulus could have done without. He was, as he had correctly predicted, now known as the 'brother of the Gryffindor cross-dresser'.

"As if it isn't bad enough that he's a pouf!" he wailed in despair to Severus Snape. "He's a cross-dressing, _make-up-wearing_ pouf!"

Snape merely shook his head and concentrated on his essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts. "So he's a blinking fruit. He's been that way since he was your age."

Regulus nearly choked on the Ice Mice he was eating. "Since he was _my_ age? That's disgusting!" He looked panicked. "Dear Lord, Severus, why didn't you ever say anything! The house is probably infested with his cootie germs!"

Snape rolled his eyes to think there was still a thirteen-year-old on the planet who worried about 'cootie germs'. But then again, Regulus also had an irrational fear of dogs, and that was a tad ridiculous too - at least in Snape's opinion. "I wouldn't worry about it," he said mildly, sifting through his notes. "Have the house-elf burn his bed."

Regulus was silent for a moment, probably making a mental note to write to his mother and have the bed burned. Silence reigned in the gloomy common room as Snape scribbled and Regulus stared into the fireplace, his chin in his hands.

"Say, have you kept in contact with Lucius lately?" Regulus finally asked, blinking rapidly and turning to Snape.

Snape kept his face neutral. "He's getting married, I hear. To your cousin Narcissa." He didn't mention how much that idea pained him.

"You and Lucius were friends, weren't you?"

"He was in his sixth year when I arrived here," Snape said stiffly. "We had a passing acquaintance, not a deep friendship." 'Friends' hardly described their relationship. But he wasn't about to go into something as complicated as that story, especially not when his audience was a rather immature thirteen-year-old. "Can we discuss something else?"

Regulus' grey-blue eyes narrowed a bit, as if realising Snape was hiding something from him; but he didn't say a word. "Sure. How's the essay going?"

"Decent," Snape sighed. "I'm almost done."

"You know, I saw you looking at Remus Lupin the other day."

Snape growled. This was not the exact change of topic he had had in mind. "So what?"

"Not just _looking_. Staring, more like. What's wrong? Have you got the hots for him now?"

"What do you mean, _now_?" Snape asked testily.

Regulus held up his hands. "Nothing. I just thought... well, you never really fancied him before, did you?"

"Fancied?" Snape let out a derisive snort. "Far from it. Now can I please finish this?"

"Fine." Regulus leaned over and fished his own homework out of his bag, brushing his longish raven hair out of his eyes. He could tell there was something Snape wasn't telling him. A rather large something. He wasn't being completely honest about his relationship with Lucius, or his feelings about Lupin. But trying to get him to talk about it would be more difficult than trying to force a hippogriff into a pair of frilly knickers.

With a sigh, Sirius' younger brother began to work on his "List Three Ways To Recognise The Crup" essay.

* * *

At the same time, a meeting of the minds was taking place in the prefects' lounge. Remus was sitting in an overstuffed chair, talking with Janet Green, one of the Hufflepuff prefects. James and Lily, who had been announced as Head Boy and Girl at the beginning of the year, were shuffling through some papers and talking softly. Remus watched them from the corner of his eye, smiling slightly to see how much better they were getting along. He hadn't the slightest idea why Lily had thawed to James the way she had; he could only assume something had happened that neither of them wished to share.

Janet attracted his attention by commenting, "I bet Sirius is as mad as hell that he's not here."

"That's a bet you'd win," Remus smiled at her. Sirius had bemoaned the fact that his best mate was Head Boy; he had positively whined over his boyfriend's appointment as prefect for the third year in a row; and he had very nearly thrown a tantrum when he realised his best mate and his boyfriend were privy to all kinds of information about goings-on at the school. Sirius _hated_ to be left out of things, no matter how obscure.

"He looked so good on Saturday," Janet said dreamily. "You're so lucky, Remus."

"Er - thanks," Remus said awkwardly, not knowing how to respond. He had been receiving complements on how good his lover looked ever since the embarrassing charade, and still didn't know what he was supposed to tell them. The number of girls who found Sirius in drag as attractive as he, Remus, did, was disturbing. But then, Remus had never quite known what went on in girls' heads.

"Okay, quiet down," Lily spoke up at last, looking up from her sheaf of papers. "First things first, we have to sort through all these reports of misbehaviour in the corridors..."

* * *

And while everyone Sirius had an interest in was off doing something that didn't involve him, Sirius himself was left in the dormitory with Peter. The room was silent except for the sound of Peter's quill scratching on paper; he was working on some late homework. Sirius was sprawled across Remus' bed, hugging the pillow to his chest and inhaling Remus' scent. All his homework was done. His latest letter to his cousin Andromeda had been written and sent care of his owl, Oberon. He had nothing else to do but sit there and think.

With a sigh, he rolled over on his back and stared up at the canopy over Remus' bed. He shut his eyes and conjured up Remus' face in his mind, detail by detail. His sparkling hazel eyes, his soft smile, his creamy skin and delicate jaw line. He fell into a comfortable doze, waiting for the moment when Remus would return.

It was funny how strongly Remus affected him, he had often thought. Remus was like a highly addictive drug, in a way. The more of him Sirius had, the more he wanted. The mere thought of his lover could send him into ecstasy. Just a look or a word, and there was no turning back. Sirius felt he would die if anything ever separated them.

It hadn't always been that way, though. Sirius had always been known as one of the most attractive boys in school (his only competitor being the golden-haired, Greek god of a Hufflepuff known as Gilderoy Lockhart), and the girls had lavished attention on him even when he was a lowly first year. Naturally this had given him a bit of an inflated ego (though it was nowhere near as inflated as James'), and he had flirted right back with the girls. He had lost his virginity at thirteen to a Ravenclaw fourth-year named Mary Alice Summerby; following that he had briefly courted a number of girls.

The realisation that he was in love with Remus had come as a complete shock in the middle of his fifth year. Right out of the blue, it had just hit him that he was in love with Remus. Remus, who happened to be his friend. His male friend.

After realisation came denial; Sirius couldn't believe he was in love with Remus and so tried to prove he wasn't by getting involved with even more girls. But as time wore on, he discovered to his horror that the girls just didn't excite him anymore - sex with them was now a remote possibility. He lapsed into a kind of quiet depression after that, dropping all his girlfriends without a word. He had been the cause of many broken hearts and was sorry for that; but what could he say to them?

Sixth year had barely begun when Sirius had gotten into a foolish argument with Severus Snape, during which he told Snape to head down to the Whomping Willow and poke the knot with a stick if he wanted to see what happened to Remus. James had stepped in and saved Snape at the last moment, but the prank had made everyone furious at Sirius. Remus was enraged at him for causing Snape to discover he was a werewolf; James and Peter had been appalled at Sirius' lack of consideration for his friend. And soon Sirius had found himself on the outs with everyone in Gryffindor Tower.

'On the outs' was putting it nicely. Sirius had been the black sheep of Gryffindor, much like his standing within his own family. But this hurt worse, because he loved his friends so much more than his family. Worst of all was the thought that Remus now loathed him. He often spent his nights tossing and turning, unable to sleep, emerging from behind the hangings the next morning with shadows under his eyes. More than once, his mind strayed to the enticing possibility of suicide. His mind stayed on that track for two months - the longest two months that had ever existed. Finally, Sirius went to visit Remus in the hospital wing, where he had apologised for hurting Remus and confessed to loving him. It hadn't been easy - they had both cried, but in the end it was better.

Since then the relationship was roses. The issue of sex was on hold; Remus wanted to wait awhile, and Sirius was happy to wait. He wasn't going to force Remus into something he wasn't ready for. Neither of them were the least bit unhappy with the other, and hardly ever argued (unless it was their typical quarrel over Sirius' unfinished homework). Not the least bit unhappy, that was, until sniveling gits like Snape started groping Remus with their eyes. Not that it was Remus' fault. If anyone should be blamed, it was himself for making his boyfriend so beautiful. Well - accentuating his boyfriend's incredible beauty.

With a grunt of frustration, Sirius sat up and tossed the pillow aside.

"Something wrong?" Peter asked, looking up from his parchment. It was obvious he hoped there was; any excuse to draw himself away from Astronomy.

"Nah," Sirius said quickly, dashing those hopes. He wasn't about to get into Snape-related relationship issues with Peter. Quickly, he redirected the conversation. "So you asked that girl Grace out, didn't you? The one from Ravenclaw."

"Yeah," Peter said, blushing.

"She's pretty," Sirius offered.

"Yeah," Peter repeated, blushing more furiously. "She is."

"Good luck, then," Sirius said, before flopping back on the bed.

"You act like I'm totally hopeless," Peter bristled.

"That's not what I meant," Sirius sighed. "I just wanted you to know I'm on your side when it comes to her, okay? It's not like I'm going to try and steal her from you. She's not my type, mate."

Peter glared. "Blonde hair and blue eyes isn't your type? Cut the shite - I know you don't mind. Just because she's a tad pudgy -"

"Oh Merlin, will you let it go? Blonde hair and blue eyes is not my type anymore. I'm seriously hooked on brunettes with hazel eyes. One in particular. Okay?"

"Glad to hear that," Remus' voice came from the doorway. He had just entered the dorm, followed closely by a starry-eyed James. He sank onto his bed beside Sirius and brushed a hank of hair out of his boyfriend's eyes. James meandered dreamily over to his own bed, walking into Remus' trunk and the corner of Sirius' bed in the process.

"Jim? You okay?"

"He's fine," Remus said dryly. "He's just spent an hour and a half in close proximity of Lily Evans, so he's a little out of it."

"I see. Bloody impossible." Sirius closed his eyes and sighed happily as Remus continued to stroke his hair.

"Just wait until after the Hogsmeade visit. An entire day with Lily?"

"He'll be so far gone we'll have to send a rocket after him."

"What an idea." Remus kissed his forehead and rousted Sirius off his bed. "Goodnight, love."

"Aww, I wanna sleep with you!" the Animagus protested.

"Too much information!" James called.

"Yeah, yeah..." Sirius heaved a sigh of utter despair, looking so pathetic that Remus could only giggle. He patted his boyfriend on the head.

"Maybe another time, love."

"That's what you always say..."

To Be Continued.

* * *

_(A/N: Sorry if this chapter seemed utterly pointless. You see, the next big event is the Hogsmeade trip, but it was too early for that, and I didn't want to suddenly jump so far ahead in time. So that's why we have this random chapter of random things. Most likely I've started a bunch of plot lines I'll have to finish eventually, and won't remember until it's too late. For that, I apologise. See you in Chapter 5!)_


	5. The Hogsmeade Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

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Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice

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**Chapter 5 - The Hogsmeade Chapter**

October arrived to Hogwarts, bringing the first hints of bitter cold to the school. But hardly any of the students noticed, as they were eagerly awaiting the first Hogsmeade trip of the season. Of course, the upcoming trip could not dampen the fervor over the start of the Quidditch season. James and Sirius, Chaser and Beater of the Gryffindor team, respectively, were kept hard at work practising. While they were out on the pitch, Remus and Peter were generally to be found in the library, studying for their N.E.W.T.s. Peter needed all the help he could get, and Remus went over topics with him again and again with an almost otherworldly patience until Peter understood.

Gryffindor flattened Ravenclaw in the first match of the season, 470 to 20; Professor McGonagall, rather than praising them, assigned her seventh-years truckloads of homework in preparation for the exams; Peter and James were filled with a kind of restless, jumpy energy at the prospect of spending an entire day with the girls they so admired, much to the amusement of Sirius and Remus.

Halloween dawned bright but chilly. All four Marauders dressed with exceptional care before going down to breakfast. Peter wolfed down everything in sight, his apparently boundless appetite unaffected by nervousness. James only picked at his kippers, but he appeared more excited than anything. When they had finished eating, he leapt to his feet and fairly dashed into the entrance hall, where Lily was waiting for him, wearing a long red coat over a pair of bright pink bellbottom jeans. She greeted him warmly enough. Sirius resisted the urge to rub his eyes in disbelief and instead contented himself with slipping his hand into Remus'.

"Hello." It was Grace, dressed in a pretty green skirt and a white blouse, a cream-coloured sweater draped over her shoulders in an almost annoying, preppy way; she appeared pale and a tad clammy as she joined Peter.

"Hi," the others chorused. For a few moments they stood around awkwardly, shuffling their feet. Remus took it upon himself to break the uncomfortable silence (and avoid Sirius saying something about Lily and James, or perhaps Grace's Ethel Mertz sweater) and spoke up. "Shall we go?"

Automatically the others headed past Argus Filch and out the door; not a word was said until the small group reached Hogsmeade. It was hard for Sirius to keep from giggling. It was a bit exasperating how people who had wanted to go out with each other for ages (or at least, what seemed like ages, Sirius amended) could suddenly be struck dumb at the sight of each other. Ridiculous. He tugged on Remus' arm and said brightly, "Well, then. Remmie and I have matters to attend to, so we'll just be going now. Have fun!"

He dragged the young werewolf away, muttering, "If we don't leave them they'll _never_ get started."

The others watched the two boys disappear into the crowds, then looked at each other again. Finally, James cleared his throat. "Well... Pete, Grace... see you later."

"Okay," they responded in unison, and James and Lily turned to go.

Again, awkward silence reigned as James and Lily wandered past the shops, skillfully avoiding each others' eyes. Lily could feel her face and ears burning, and stared at her feet to try and keep James from noticing. She had wanted to come here, more than anything, after what James had done for her. But why couldn't she bring herself to talk? He was a nice enough sort, now that he seemed to have stopped picking on people. His inflated ego had deflated quite a bit, as well. She had to thank him for sticking up for her. She _had_ to. And there was a rumour going 'round school that she had accepted James' invitation only because of his improved, glittery look - which certainly wasn't true. Lily wanted to be sure James knew that.

"James - thank you," she blurted out, coming to a dead stop outside Scrivenshaft's.

He stopped as well and stared at her. She was blushing so red she almost matched her hair, or perhaps her cherry-red coat. "For last year, I mean, that thing with Bellatrix -"

"Oh." He smiled weakly. "That. Well, you know, I couldn't stand to let Bella be rude to anyone else - you know how she goes out of her way to bring misery to Muggle-borns... It was nothing, really..."

"Thank you, all the same," Lily replied shyly. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stepped in. She was just so... so mean... I couldn't have handled her all alone."

James smiled brilliantly. He was very handsome when he smiled, Lily realised. She smiled back; he smiled wider; soon, they were laughing like they'd been friends for years. It felt as though a barrier between them had been broken down. They fell into conversation, discussing the latest Quidditch match. They moved on from the match to flying; soon Lily was confessing to James her first terrifying ride on a broomstick. Talking to him was just as easy as talking with Grace and Karen; in fact, Lily was amazed on how easy it was.

"Want to stop into the Three Broomsticks for a drink?" James asked, pausing outside the door of the pub.

"Sure." Lily followed him, and was impressed when he stepped aside to hold the door open for her. The pub was crowded as always, almost every table surrounded by Hogwarts students chattering together and enjoying their day. Lily squeezed between two large groups of Hufflepuffs and a cluster of hags to find a table. A few moments later James joined her, clutching two foaming mugs of butterbeer.

"Thanks," Lily said, sipping at the mug he handed to her. James seated himself across from her, sipping his own drink. His hazel eyes studied her over the rim of the mug. Lily pretended not to notice, but she was secretly pleased. He wasn't a bad sort, really. If he could stand up to Bellatrix Black and live... "Er - is Sirius' cousin always that mean, or -"

James raised a hand to cut her off. "The thing you have to understand, Lily," he said quietly, "is that Sirius' family is the proudest pure-blood family around. They can't stand anyone who shows the tendencies of or a liking towards Muggles and Muggle-borns. Sirius is the exception. I shouldn't tell you anything else - it's his story to tell if he chooses. Okay?"

Lily was struck with a sudden understanding. She recalled an instance in first year, when Sirius had returned to school after the Christmas holidays looking battered and bruised. When asked, he merely shrugged it off as a 'Quidditch accident', and refused to say anything more about it. Until now she had forgotten about it, and she regretted letting the issue go so easily. "Okay," she murmured quietly. "But - where - he doesn't go back to that house, does he? -"

"No, he's been staying with my family for the holidays," James said. "It's the only thing we can really do for him. No one has the courage to stand up to Sirius' father, so..." he looked away, a troubled took on his face, but then he forced himself to smile again. "He's okay," he said softly. "Look, Lily, let's not talk about it anymore. It's a sensitive issue even between me and Sirius."

"Okay," Lily said softly. There was a short silence, and then James began talking about Gryffindor's status at Quidditch. He felt certain that Gryffindor would win the Quidditch Cup this year. Soon, Lily was drawn entirely into his chatter, and forgot about Sirius' problems as she and James talked and laughed.

---

Peter and Grace had gone for a walk around the village after parting from their friends. At one point, they had peeked inside the Three Broomsticks and were happy to see James and Lily in a corner, talking. Though they had visited nearly every shop, however, they had not run into Sirius and Remus anywhere.

"They're probably off... shagging, or something," Peter said vaguely when Grace pointed this out. His attention was elsewhere; he was staring into the widow of Honeydukes', where an enormous village constructed entirely out of fudge had been erected. Grace shifted from one foot to the other with a little sigh. Peter had been gazing into the window of the sweet shop for a quarter of an hour; she was getting tired and bored.

"Peter?"

"Hmm?"

"D'you mind if we... I dunno, go in for a coffee or something?" Grace asked, glancing down the street, where the wooden sign for Madame Puddifoot's tea shop swayed and creaked in the wind. She was getting a bit chilly, as well, and the thought of a warm coffee was very inviting.

"What? Oh..." Peter pulled himself away from the window rather reluctantly. "Okay, I suppose."

Grace led the way to the tiny shop. She had never been in here before with a date; once she, Lily, and Karen had stopped in for some quick tea, just to see what the place was like. It was cozier than she remembered, brightly decorated in pinks and creamy whites. Peter appeared wary when they entered; he perched himself gingerly on the edge of one of the spindly chairs with a sigh. Obviously he did not find the decor as charming as she did.

"What shall it be, dears?" Madame Puddifoot asked, approaching their table with a notepad and quill held at the ready.

"Two coffees, please," Grace said, smiling. Peter appeared not to have heard; he was staring out the window. Grace felt an uncharacteristic twinge of annoyance. If he was going to be so standoffish, why had he even asked her out at all?

"Peter? Are you okay?" she asked gently.

He jumped a little in his seat and offered a smile. "Er, yeah. Sorry."

"You've been a little out of it. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing," he assured her, as Madame Puddifoot returned with their coffees. "I'm fine, please don't worry."

"All right..." Grace watched him closely as he stirred sugar into his mug. He sounded very much like he was lying. But why? What would cause him to lie?...

---

Sirius and Remus, in the meantime, were not in Hogsmeade at all. They were sitting on a steep hill overlooking the village, holding hands and just sitting in companionable silence. Remus was pleasantly aware of Sirius' free hand stroking his thigh, slowly and lovingly. It was a nice feeling.

The sun shone down on where the two boys were sitting, bathing them in warmth. Remus tilted his head to one side, exposing the whole of his slender, pale neck. Sirius' breath caught in his throat as he watched Remus' tawny bangs tumble into his eyes, though his momentary lapse of attention did not stop his hand from running the length of Remus' thigh, seductively. Before he could stop himself, Sirius leaned over to kiss Remus' neck. "I love you," he whispered against the creamy skin, pulling Remus closer, so that his boyfriend was seated in his lap. He continued to plant light kisses along Remus' neck, pushing down the collar of the werewolf's jumper to expose his shoulder.

Sirius fully expected Remus to pull away at any second, as his touches and kisses got a little more bold - Remus wasn't one to give in easily like that. No, Remus loathed himself, and clearly wanted to keep anyone from getting close to him because of his lycanthropy. He had done the same thing when James, Sirius, and Peter had discovered his "furry little problem", to use James' phrase. But he wasn't making a sound of protest or even trying to move as Sirius' fingers made their way higher up his leg, or as he placed a soft kiss behind Remus' ear.

Finally Sirius had to speak up. It was either say something or end up making quite a mess of himself in front of his boyfriend (or rather, he reflected, _on_ his boyfriend, as Remus was still sitting in his lap). "Oi. Remmie." He reached up and gently squeezed Remus' nose between his knuckles. "You'd better start trying to escape, or I might want to go all the way."

"Mm?" Remus opened his hazel eyes and stretched in a lazy, half-conscious way, like someone who had just been awakened. "I'm sorry, Siri. I started to fall asleep for a few moments there. I heard 'I love you', but nothing after that."

He looked puzzled as Sirius burst into hearty laughter. He watched, mystified, as Sirius chuckled, leaning his forehead against Remus' shoulder.

"Only you, Remmie," Sirius said finally, calming down and smiling at his boyfriend. "Only you could sit here half-dressed, on the lap of your oh-so-hard boyfriend, and fall asleep."

Remus blushed deeply as he realised simultaneously that his jumper was slipping down his shoulder and that sitting in Sirius' lap had become very uncomfortable indeed. He straightened his clothes as Sirius stretched and sprawled out on the grass. It occurred to him that perhaps Sirius was disappointed in him. Maybe Sirius had expected him to play along, to act sleepy and innocent while allowing Sirius to do whatever he wanted. His flush deepened.

"You got quiet. What's wrong?" Sirius was looking at him.

"Nothing."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Sirius chanted softly, reaching for his wand.

"You wouldn't!"

"No, I wouldn't," the raven-haired boy agreed. "But won't you tell me what's bothering you? I can tell you're hiding something. Was it what I said?"

"Just a little." Remus admitted.

Sirius swore under his breath. "I'm sorry. I got caught up in the moment and all. Carried away."

"It's okay." Remus reached out and squeezed Sirius' hand, instantly making him feel better about his transgression. "It's nearly time to get back. Shall we find the others and see how their days went?"

Sirius agreed, and the pair stood and stretched, brushing stray leaves off their clothes, before joining hands and heading back towards Hogsmeade. Remus glanced at Sirius as they emerged onto the road beside Honeydukes'. The angle of the light made Sirius look strange for a second, his cheeks too pale and his eyes darker than normal. As if he was wearing makeup... suddenly, Remus wondered if Sirius was wearing girl's knickers again today.

What a thought... but a strangely compelling one. He looked away from Sirius as they meandered down the high street. _'If it weren't for my problem'_, he thought bitterly to himself, _'I'd let Sirius do anything he wanted. I want him to make love to me. But he doesn't deserve the baggage that comes with being a werewolf's mate. He's too good for that.'_

"Jim! Lily!" Sirius' voice cut through Remus' thoughts. Sure enough, their friends were emerging from the Three Broomsticks, hand-in-hand. Remus hurried to keep up with Sirius' long strides as they went to join the others, and pushed his depressing train of thought to the very back of his mind. There was no way he was going to upset everybody with his own worries after they had so obviously had an exceptionally good day; nor was he willing to dwell on his thoughts and ruin the cheerfulness of his date with Sirius. There were better things to think about.

To Be Continued.

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_(A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I was so looking forward to "Half-Blood Prince" that I totally couldn't focus on my own stories! But now that I've finished the book, I can write again. Expect even more Sirius/Remus slash than ever, because one certain event at the end of HBP pissed me off and made me want to write more Sirius/Remus than I ever had! (I'm topping records here!) Also, expect HBP spoilers, not only here, but in my other stories as well. However, there is one development that will not show up in my stories, and also (mostly in the Snippets, but other places too) the person who died in HBP will NOT be dead. Those who have finished the book will know what I'm talking about. _

That said, it's good to be back!)


	6. The Flashback Chapter

**Disclaimer:**I don't own the Harry Potter characters. I never will! Everyone belongs to J.K. Rowling, except for Peter's girlfriend Grace. I'm pleased to say I own her.

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Glitter, Spice, and Everything Nice

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**Chapter 6 - The Flashback Chapter**

Severus Snape was the only seventh-year Slytherin who did not venture into Hogsmeade that weekend. He had fully intended to, but the arrival of an owl on Saturday morning had completely changed his plans. He sat on his bed, biting his lip and looking down at the folded piece of parchment clutched in his hand. It was already deeply creased from being opened, read, folded, and opened again, seemingly a hundred times over.

Almost against his will, he opened it again, his long fingers smoothing out the parchment with only the slightest hint of a tremble. His black eyes scanned the sprawling, loopy handwriting once more, and he bit down harder on his lip with each sentence.

'_Dear Severus,_

I know the news of my marriage came as a shock to you, and I'm sorry. You must believe me when I say this marriage was not what I wished for. Narcissa is a beautiful woman and will make a fine wife; but she has nothing compared to you. Severus, you were my first love, I swear it, and you always will be. I'm sorry it had to turn out this way, and I hope you'll forgive me, in time. If it weren't for Narcissa's pregnancy, I would leave her in an instant. But I must do what is respectable. I must marry the mother of my son - a son, yes, I just know she is carrying a boy - and put everything else behind me. But, my love, I will never regret or forget the time we shared. Please forgive me. I hope we can continue to correspond - yes, even remain friends. For the sake of the past.

Sincerely,  
Your Love,  
Lucius'

Snape hardly noticed the tear that splashed on the signature. He folded up the letter, shakily, and tucked it into the top drawer of his nightstand.

At one point, Lucius Malfoy had been a good friend of Snape's. In fact, they had been lovers, after a fashion. During Snape's first two years at Hogwarts, the pair had carried on a relationship kept quite secret from everyone else at the school. It was a point on how naive Snape had been then, he thought bitterly, that he had imagined Lucius would love him forever. Perhaps not to the point of marriage, no, not for two wizards; but at least to the point of keeping Snape by his side forever.

"What a sodding fool I was," Snape said. He meant for it to come out in a venomous hiss, but all that escaped his lips was a feeble whisper. He flopped face-down on his bed, resting his forehead on his arms. His eyes closed. He was dozing, he was...

...he was twelve years old again, not as embittered with the world as he was at sixteen, one of the top students in his year for the second year running. But that didn't matter. What mattered was the slender, pale body of seventeen-year-old Lucius Malfoy, stretched out beside him on the cushions. They were in their secret room, the room only they knew about, located on the seventh floor opposite a tapestry of trolls being trained for the ballet. It was here they came to hide, here they came to make love. Their room was so different, so pleasant, than the rest of the school, that it seemed hundreds of miles away, not even in Hogwarts at all.

"Severus, you look like the cat that's gotten into the cream," Lucius purred. "Feeling extra good today?"

"I'm always happy when I'm with you," Snape murmured, cuddling closer.

"You make me blush, darling." Lucius sat up, pushing his long blonde hair off his shoulders and securing it in a queue with a short length of blue velvet ribbon. "But I wouldn't have it any other way." His lips brushed a kiss across Snape's forehead. "Come along, now. I'm afraid we'll be missed if we spend any longer here."

Snape caught Lucius' wrist as he made to stand. "Luci."

"What is it?"

"You love me, don't you?"

"Yes, darling. Very much."

"Will you always love me?"

"Of course I will."

Mollified (for the moment at least), Snape allowed a rare smile to cross his visage. He released Lucius' wrist and began to dress as well.

_ (In his sleep the older Severus moaned, knowing he was being silly, knowing he never should have believed a word. He should have avoided Lucius like the plague, never even looked his way. But what good would it have done?)_

And now he was eleven, a new student at Hogwarts, shakily approaching the Slytherin table after being Sorted. He collapsed into his seat beside a few other first-years, grateful to be away from the prying eyes of the school. He watched as the dwindling group of new students clustered before the staff table grew less and less, relieved to be away at last. Not just from the staring eyes of the student body, but from everything. _Everything_. His sop of a mother, who spent her days slaving for his father and never had time for anything else; his father, brutish lout that he was, a heavy drinker with an easily raised temper (and though Snape didn't know it and wouldn't care if he did, he shared something in common with Sirius Black in this respect) and a heavy hand. Snape loathed his home, but now... Hogwarts was his home.

He felt eyes upon him and looked quickly 'round; the only student looking his way was a tall and thin upperclassman with long blonde hair tied in a queue. The iciness of his steel-grey eyes made a shudder pass through Snape's body, and he turned away quickly. Looking at him too long would hurt your eyes. 

But it wasn't long at all before Snape learned who the older boy was. Lucius Malfoy, heir to one of the oldest and greatest pure-blooded families in the wizarding community. Though he didn't know why, he seemed to have caught Lucius' eye, though whether that was a good or bad thing remained to be seen. For a few weeks Snape pretended not to notice the way Lucius sometimes stared at him. But late one night in the library, it became impossible to ignore, especially as Lucius had approached the table where Snape sat alone, poring over a book for his Herbology essay.

"Snape."

Severus looked up, and gulped at the hard look in those cold, stormy eyes. "Y-yes?"

"Do you know who I am?"

"Er - upperclassman Malfoy, if I'm not mistaken." Snape knew perfectly well what his name was. Lucius was infamous around school, especially for hanging around people like Bellatrix and Narcissa Black and Rodolphus Lestrange.

"'Upperclassman Malfoy'? That sounds so stiff. Please, call me Lucius." Those grey eyes had taken on a different look. Snape supposed it was Lucius' version of good humour, but he wasn't sure. In fact, he wondered why Lucius was there at all. Normally sixth-and-seventh years never took notice of lowly first-years.

"I've noticed you're quite... ah, shall we say, out-of-sorts with Sirius Black?"

So that was it. "If you want the complete and honest truth, I hate him," Snape replied with a sneer. He had been in school just long enough to attract the teasing and rude comments of Sirius and his band of friends, including James Potter, whom Snape had known ever since birth and loathed. "What do _you_ want with him?"

Lucius rested his chin in one hand. "If _you_ want the complete and honest truth, I just want to see what makes him tick," he replied, almost thoughtfully. "He holds a very great position within the Black family, you know. Heir to the family. He holds the fate of the noble and most ancient house of Black in his hands. Wealth, power, women, anything he could possibly want. And yet he has utterly rejected it all. He rebels against his parents, especially his mother, and refuses to have anything to do with the lot of them. His cousin, Bellatrix, tells me he is the black sheep of the family - except for her sister, Andromeda, that is."

"Why are you so interested in something as useless as that?" Snape asked suspiciously.

"No matter." Lucius stood, his long hair glowing in the light of the gas lamps on the walls. "I like you, Snape," he said simply, mystifyingly, before turning on his heel and striding out of the library.

_I like you, Snape._ And somehow, dizzyingly, so fast Snape could barely catch his breath, he was in love with Lucius Malfoy. He had no idea how it had occurred. It had been hardly a week after their conversation in the library when Snape found himself being kissed by Lucius in the corridors late one night; somehow the relationship had escalated into snogging and groping sessions in whatever deserted location they could find when the fancy took them. _It was all his fault, the bastard. _Which wasn't exactly true. Lucius was the siren, the seducer, the one who could tempt Snape into doing anything. But it was Snape himself who went along with it, every time. Despite his young age he was very much attracted to Lucius in a way that was more than half sexual; many times he had wondered if it was simply the thrill of letting an older student have his way with him like that.

Snape's first year at Hogwarts seemed like the lives of two different people. During class he was the quiet, hard-working student who went unnoticed unless Black and Potter were tormenting him again; in his free time he was with Lucius, allowing himself to be kissed and touched, feeling like a whore but unable and unwilling to put a stop to it. Second year started off with Lucius whispering in Snape's ear during the Welcoming Feast that he wanted to take him to bed. Though the possibility had been interesting, enticing, and rather erotic, Snape had refused on the grounds that they had no place where they would get privacy long enough to try such an act. However, curiosity got the better of him. He actually found himself wondering what Lucius would be like... and finally led his lover to the secret room he had found while hiding from Potter's gang.

_Why did I bring him there? It was a fucking downward spiral from then on._ He had been surprised to find the dingy cupboard had become a spacious room draped in silk curtains, with a great heap of cushions on the floor; but it had hardly mattered as he locked the door behind them and went dutifully into Lucius' embrace. His virginity was gone at twelve and he didn't care. Nothing mattered as long as Lucius was there.

Lucius had promised to remain faithful. And naive child that he had been, Snape had believed him entirely. He had kept this happy thought deep in his heart for when he was feeling his worst, after being taunted by Potter or after visiting home and becoming once more a witness to the daily battles between his parents. As soon as he left Hogwarts Lucius would take him into his home and everything would be all right.

Bellatrix Black killed off this notion when Snape was in his fifth year; she had informed him quite frankly (and brutally) that Lucius was sleeping with her sister Narcissa. "He loves her, I think," she had concluded in a half-sneering way that made Snape wonder if she truly believed what she was saying. After confronting Lucius on the Christmas holidays Snape had learned what Bellatrix had told him was true. But still he continued to believe. He had allowed Lucius to take him to bed again, had believed every word as Lucius panted "I love you, I love you" in his ear over and over, almost perfectly in time with his thrusts.

Severus jerked awake quite suddenly to find himself bathed in sweat; the sunlight was slanting across the dormitory floor in such a way that indicated it was nearly sunset. He had been lost in his dream-memories for nearly the whole day. Shaking, he sat up. He reached out and ripped open the drawer of the nightstand, pulling out Lucius' letter. A raging, stinging hatred had suddenly risen inside him, making him more furious than he had ever been.

_"Incendio!"_ he hissed, touching the tip of his wand to a corner of the parchment and setting it alight. He watched it burn with something very much like glee coursing through his body. As the flames reached the edge of the letter, he let it drop, watching the last fragments of parchment burn as they wafted to the ground.

"He loves me, he loves me not," he snarled, stomping on the crisped remains.

Goddamn Lucius Malfoy. Goddamn Narcissa Black. Goddamn the child she was carrying.

He took the ashes to the window and threw them to the breeze.

"Good riddance."

It was all just dust in the wind.

To Be Continued...

---

_(A/N: Serious Timeline Issues As Presented in Half-Blood Prince!_

Well, again, I've had a story's progress spoiled by the release of a book. As I recall, I set Bellatrix to be a year older than Sirius in this story. But as we learned in HBP, Bellatrix is the eldest _Black sister, not the youngest (I always assumed Narcissa was the oldest, though her son is much younger than her sister Andromeda's daughter). Sorry about that. And also, I am having difficulty understanding the whole timeline concerning Mouldy Voldie, the Lestranges, and the Malfoys. In HBP, one of the boys in Slughorn's office during the Horcrux flashback was called "Lestrange". Now, let's assume Slughorn was talking to Bellatrix's husband, Rodolphus. How could he be in school with Mouldy Voldie, when Sirius said in GoF that Snape hung out with _both_ Lestranges when they were in school? If Snape was hanging out with Bella and Rodolphus, they would have to be a lot younger than the books would have us think. I mean, if Bella and Rodolphus had been at school with Mouldy Voldie, they'd be about in their mid-60's, like him, and there would have been at least a twenty, possibly thirty-year gap between the Lestranges' graduation from Hogwarts and the arrival of Snape and the Marauders. And also, it leaves a large gap between the Black sisters. We know Narcissa is 42 in HBP, and if Bella went to school with Mouldy Voldie she is anywhere between 58 to about 65 or so - leaving that twenty-year gap in which the middle sister, Andromeda, was born. I don't think anyone, even wizards, wait that long between children. sigh Sorry, that was long, but I was just confused. And sorry for messing up the timeline, but after all, I started this before HBP came out!)_


End file.
